Good Ol’ Ignatius

I’m currently planning an essay on Ignatius and his understanding of his martyrdom. I’m going to be defending him as an interpreter and imitator of Paul (and through this, Jesus), but it won’t always be easy. He makes very strong statements about his impending death:

“May I have the pleasure of the wild beasts that have been prepared for me; and I pray that they prove to be prompt with me. I will even coax them to devour me quickly, not as they have done with some, whom they were too timid to touch. And if when I am willing and ready and they are not, I will force them.” (Romans 5:2)

Not all of his statements about martyrdom are this strong, but still, yikes! It’s going to be fun writing this paper ;-)